Combined printing-press and stereotype casting-box



(No Model.)

M'. J. HUGHES.

GOMBIND PRINTING PRESS AND STEREOTYPE-GASTING BOX. No. 258,888. PatentedPeb. 7,1882.

rmssm: A A

MM ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Ptmvmlwgwher. wnmingmn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. MARSHALL J. HUGHES, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

CMBINED PRINTING-PRESS AND STERliOTYPE CASTING-BOX'.

SPECIFICATION forming, part of Letters Patent No. 253,386, datedFebruary '7, 1882.

I Application filed September 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that L'MARsHALL J. HUGHES, ofJersey City, Hudson county, New Jersey, have invented a new and ImprovedCombined Printing-Press and Stereotype Casting-Box, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Ordinarily in stereotyping the mold or impression is taken and dried ona steam table or heater specially constructed and used for that purposealone. It is then placed in acastingbox specially constructed for thatwork. These appliances are costlyand occupy no little space.

The object of my invention is to dispense with these separate appliancesby utilizing printing-presses in the work of stereotyping and productionof plates and type-high casts; to which end the invention consists inthe combination, with the bed and platen of a press, of the devices ashereinafter described and claimed.

Reference 'is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis speciication, in

. which similar letters of reference indicate cor- Ascrews' or othersuitable devices. serves as a rest or support for the side barsresponding pa-rts in all the figures.

In the drawings, Figure lis a sectional side elevation of the essentialparts of a press with my improvements applied, and Fig. 2 is a plan Viewof the platen.

A is the fixed bed of the press, and B the swinging platen, which may befitted for movement by a treadle or lever in any usual manner. On theplaten B is a gage, a, attachedby This gage forming the casting-frame,and also forms the bottom of the casting-box.

b b are type-high bars or casting-gages, attached to platen B by theslotted arms c and screws d, which permit adjustment of the bars to andfrom each other, according to the width of mold.

The gages a b may be of any suitable character. I do not limit myself inthat respect, the object being that when lthe platen and bed are broughttogether a casting-box is formed, as shown in dotted lines. The saidgages are necessarily adapted for convenient detachment to allow use ofthe platenfor its ordinary function.

The matrix shown at f is secured by its edges beneath the gages b, sothat when the platen is brought up to form the box a cast is secured bypouring the molten metal in at the upper side.

' The platen B, as shown in Fig. l, is formed hollow, and a tube, @,isconnected therewith for supply of steam or hot water to heat the platen.This is for the purpose of drying the matrix, and takes the place of theusual steamtable or drying-box. It is also usefulk in'connection withprinting for warming the forms, types or plates, and rollers in coldweather, so that they shall work freely, and to secure properdistribution of the ink.v

In using the bed and platen for stereotyping,

the rollers and other parts ot the press not required may be removed.This combination saves the expense of separate stereotyping apparatusand the space occupied by such apparatus. The required changes in thepress can be made in a moment a'nd any ordinary press utilized.

Gas may also be used to heat the platen for drying the matrix, theburners being either fixed or movable.

I am aware that a hollow flexible platen has been used in a lithographiepress, and that a heating appliance has been employed in connection withan apparatus for backing electrotype-shells. These features I disclaim.

' Having thus described myinvention, I cla-im as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In combination with the bed of aprinting-press', the hollow platen B, provided with asteam-pipe, d, andremovable bars or gages suitably arranged 0,11 its 'face for securingthe stereotype-matrix and forming the sides of a stereotypecasting-box,a.s shown and described.

2. In combination with the bed A oi a printing-press, a platen, B,provided on its face with removable gages or bars, for the purposespecilied, and with a heating appliance, whereby said bed and platen areadapted for use in forming stereotype-casts and drying-matrices for thesame, as specified. p

M. J. HUGHES.

Witnesses GEO. D. WALKER, C. SEDGWICK.

